Method of laying and covering pipes and the like



C. WELLER July 16, 1929.

METHOD OF LAYING AND COVERING PIPES AND THE LIKE Filed July 14, 1927 2Sheets-Shqet 1 c. WELLER 1,721,195

METHOD OF LAYING AND COVERING PIPES AND THE LIKE July 16, 1929,

Filed July 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jnamr gniszz'ar V6166) NITED STATEPatented July 16, 1929 eHnIsTIAn WELLER, onnirLnNrIooIinxnEw annsnx.

METHOD OF LAY NGnnD 'covEnING'r IP ns AND THE IKE.

' Application filed July-14, 1927. Serial No. 205,626.

like with removable sectional blocks,

A further object ofmy invention is to provide closure blocks of the sameor analogous material as'th'efroad bed, and of such shape as to bejambed into the trench and there sealedto complete the road bed.

A still further object of my invention is to provide for protecting thepipes in such trenches from cold and also for the ready removal of theclosure blocks for gaining access to said pipes. I

1 forth and With these ends in view, this invention consists inthedetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter setspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeitsconstruction in detail, referring by numerals ;tothe accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan in perspective of a number of city streets showing themethod of embedding pipes and the like in trenches; in

one direction the trenches being continuous while in the cross wisedirection these trenches are shown as sectional or in parquet form. 1

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the closure blocks set in aroad'bed showing closure blocks.

the eyes for removing it from its trencln Fig. 3

2. V r F ig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the Fig. 5 is asection-similar to Fig. 3 showing the trench lined with cork or similarma.-.

terial .providing yielding surfaces for the closure blocks when insertedinzthe trench.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, 10 representsthe roadbed conbeds in continuous lengths, the closure blocks structed ofwell-known material such as concrete or cement, andin the constructionof such road beds where they are relatively thin an increased thicknessmay be provided throughout certain lines as indicated at 11 for theformation of the trenches 12 of suflicient depth to properly protect thepipes or is a section on then-line 33 of cables 13 laid within saidtrenches. These trenches are preferably formed when the road bed isbeing laid and may be either continuous as indicated at 12 in Fig. 1 orin sections or parquet form as indicated at12f as may best suit theconditionsfor which th pipes or cables are to serve. The trenches 12have-their side walls inclined inward from top to bottom'fo'r the properreception of the wedge-shape closure blocks "14, which blocks arepreferably made of the same or substantially the same material of whichthe road bed is made, so that when these" blocks are fitted withinthetrenches, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, they will be wedged thereininsuchmanner as to sustain the weight of traffic over the road'bed withoutbringing undue pressure to bear upon the pipes or cables; and inpractice, the walls of the trenches have applied theretoasphaltummaterial ina hot or 'liquidstate, so that when the'closureblocks are wedged within thesetrnches, a water-tight union is formedbetween the road bed and the clo-' sure'blocks, leaving thesurfaceof'the road bed in a smooth and unbroken condition.

By this method, not only are the pipes or cable within the trenchesprotected against the elements and the road bed left in a perfectcondition, but access maybe readily-had to the pipes or cables byapplying suflicient heat to the road bed and blocks adjacent to I thetrench to sufficiently soften the as'phal tum to permit the removal ofone or more of the block s. ;To facilitate the removal of these blocks,two eyes 15 are set in each block so that lifting hooks may beinsertedin-said' eyes for drawing theblocks upward; the eyes being belowthe surface of'the blocks by be ing set in the depressions 16 and thesedepressions in practice will be filled with asphaltum inorder tocomplete the surface:

of the block and give the normal appearance to theroa'dbed, buttheasphaltum in these depressions may be sufliciently softened by theapplication ofheat to. enable theeyes to. be engaged bysuitable-liftinghooks. Where thetrenches are formed in the road are set therein endagainst end and sealed in the" same manner utilized in sea-ling the sidesurfaces of the blocks as just described. Where the trenches are made insections or in parquet form, each length of the trench v snugly fitstherein and all of the abutting surfaces of such blocks aresealed to thecorresponding surfaces of the road bed, the seal ing material beingindicated at 17 in Figs. 2 and 3.

trenches for the special protection of 1 the pipes or cables laidtherein, I utilize layers of cork or similar material 18 as shown in;Fig. 5, and when such lining is used, not

Lion, these disadvantages are entirely overcome and a cheap and simplemethodis provlded for laying and covermg such plpes or cables, and yetgiving ready access to ,the

same throughout vtheir lengths and without inany way m urmgor marrmg theappear-v ance of the surface of the road bed; flhis is of great,importance,,especially in road beds extending throughoutcountrydistricts, and also forcity streets. 1 e i -V 'In practice, I have foundit desirable toform a echannel-wlay 1,9 in the bottom surface ofeach ofthe closure blocks for partially enclosing the'pipe'or cable laid withinthe trench.

: When pipes and the likehave been laid by my improved system and itbecomes nec-. essary or desirable to gain access thereto for removal,renewal or repair, such access is.

readily hadat any, point throughout the length ofthe trench by simplyremoving the required number of closure blocks in "the manner beforedescribed, and when the repa1r work has been accomplished, the blocksmaybe again ,relaid leaving the road bed ;in perfect condition; and;this feature is of great importance in connection with crowd 1 likewithin the trenches, blocks for closing ed city streets. V .e Of course.I do not wishto be limited to theexact' details of construction asherein lgsho'wn, ,as these may be variedwithin, the limit-s of,,theappended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention;

Having thus fully describedmy invention,

. depressions and form lifting eyes. a I 7 1 In testimony whereofyl havehereunto what I claim as new and useful is ,1. The combination of atrench formed in a road bed, and a series of blocks for closing saidtrench and forming a continuation of the surface of the road bed, said AWhere a is found desirableto'line the 5 blocks being hermetically sealedin said trench} y .2. The herein described combinationof a trench formedin a road bed, 1 said trench having its alls converging downward; aseries ofblocks corresponding in cross-sec- ,tion to the cross-sectionshape of the trench 'so as. to be wedged into saidtr'ench, the said thebottomeof said trench; a series of V-shaped blocks adapted to be wedgedinto the trench, .eachof said blocks having a channel-way in the lowersurface thereof;

and means carried by the blocks to be en-' gaged by anelevating mediumfor lifting said blockszfrom' the trench.

1 4-. In combination witha trench adapted to receive pipes, cables-and,the'like, layers of cork, icovering the side walls of said trench; andV-shaped blocks adaptedto be,

wedged into said'trench against said cork lining.

'5. In combinationwith' a roadrbe'dya sec,-

tio'nal; trenchw formed in theroad" bed and having a semi-circular seatin the bottom.

thereof for positioning pipes .andcthe like,

said sections having V-shaped side walls;

Veshapedblocks adapted to snugly fit within said sections, said blockshavingjsemi-circular channel-ways formed in the lower surface thereoffor-seating upon said pipes and the like; two eyes,e eachsetinadepression formed. in the block, whereby the, latter may 'bereadilyremoved. a

6. In a combined pavingconduit. system,

tom-thereof for positioningpipes and the ,100 a road bed having trenchesformedtherein, said trenches having .V -shaped-s1de Walls-v andsemi-circular channel ways in the .bot-

said trenches, said blocks havingV-shaped side walls .andsemi-circularchannel ways in the bottom surfaces thereof, said blocks,

also having depressions in the upper/sur face thereof, and links setwithin the blocks so that their upper ends project intoisaid afiixed. mysignature,

